President & CEO, Visit Lauderdale

Visit Lauderdale has retained SearchWide Global to find a proactive, visible, and engaged leader to serve as the new President & CEO.Created by the Board of Broward County Commissioners in 1987, Visit Lauderdale – previously known as the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB) – is a governmental agency funded by a portion of the tax on hotel rooms in Broward County. The Visit Lauderdale team promotes Broward County and the Greater Fort Lauderdale area as a premier year-round leisure and meeting destination.The President & CEO is responsible for managing the marketing of Greater Fort Lauderdale and Broward County, as well as formulating long-range goals for the organization, implementing policy, and serving as a valued advisor to the County Administrator as part of the County’s Executive Team.ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Serves as the chief executive and strategic leader of Visit Lauderdale, providing overall leadership, vision, and direction for the organization, its staff, and destination-wide tourism initiatives, reporting to the Chief Executive of the County (County Administrator).Leads and oversees destination sales, marketing, communications, partnership development, convention sales, tourism development, and brand strategy efforts designed to increase visitation, hotel occupancy, convention and meeting business, and economic impact for Broward County.Provides leadership and oversight for the organization’s annual operating budget and financial resources, ensuring strong fiscal management, accountability, strategic investment, and alignment with County and organizational priorities.Serves as a visible ambassador and advocate for Greater Fort Lauderdale and Broward County at the local, regional, national, and international levels. Participates in industry organizations, including professional organizations, as a speaker on a variety of marketing and destination topics. Attends and represents the County at meetings, conferences, and trade shows.Builds and maintains strong relationships with hotels, tourism partners, municipalities, chambers of commerce, elected officials, community leaders, industry stakeholders, and Broward County leadership to advance the destination’s tourism and economic development goals.Works collaboratively with the hospitality community to maximize convention, meeting, group, and event opportunities associated with the County’s expanded convention center campus, which now features more than 1.2 million square feet of event space, including the new 65,000 sq. ft. waterfront ballroom, an expansive 6.5-acre outdoor plaza with a restaurant, and landscaping designed to create a parklike atmosphere. The expansion also includes the addition of an interconnected 801-room, 29-story OMNI-Fort Lauderdale headquarters hotel.Responds to media inquiries and requests for information, serves as spokesperson for the destination.Develops and implements strategic initiatives, performance metrics, and measurable goals to evaluate organizational effectiveness, tourism performance, market competitiveness, and return on investment.Monitors tourism industry trends, economic conditions, consumer behavior, and competitive destination strategies to ensure Visit Lauderdale remains innovative and competitive within the global tourism marketplace.Performs related work as assigned.QUALIFICATIONSRequires a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in business, marketing, or a closely related field.Requires ten (10) years of progressively responsible managerial experience in the promotion and marketing of a municipality or destination, or closely related experience.Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) certification or other relevant tourism, hospitality, destination marketing, leadership, or industry-related certifications are preferred.Proven expertise in convention sales, group sales, and destination demand generation.Experience leading in a large or similarly complex market; South Florida or Southeast regional familiarity preferred.Strong understanding of convention center sales strategy and countywide business development.Background in both leisure and group tourism marketing.Financial management and P&L/budget oversight experience.Crisis management experience.Track record of promoting destinations during peak periods/shoulder seasons.Existing tourism industry relationships and credibility within the DMO space.Experience building partnerships across multifaceted sectors, including hotels, municipalities, chambers, restaurants, and community stakeholders.Executive-level leadership experience as either a current CEO or a highly accomplished second-in-command.Exposure to diverse destinations and multicultural visitor markets.Experience leading organizational assessment, restructuring, and performance-driven cultures.Modern marketing, partnership development, and strategic planning experience.COMPETENCIESBusiness InsightApplies knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organization's goals. Maintains ample, up-to-date business and industry knowledge in order to make sound decisions for the organization. Understands the policies and other external factors affecting the organization.Financial AcumenInterprets and applies key financial indicators to make better business decisions. Fosters accountability for making good financial decisions; provides guidance to help the team make astute decisions. Summarizes financial performance data and explains implications for the organization.Balances StakeholdersAnticipates and balances the needs of multiple stakeholders. Regularly evaluates organizational capabilities and infrastructures and identifies how they can be improved to meet the needs of multiple stakeholders. Creates, embodies, and enforces an organizational culture in which people at all levels show the highest possible ethics and deep cultural sensitivity in their dealings with stakeholders.Global PerspectiveTakes a broad view when approaching issues, using a global lens. Guides the organization to address issues using a broad global perspective, anticipating how other cultures/countries may react to their offerings and practices, adjusting approach as needed.Strategic MindsetSeeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies. Is a strong big-picture thinker; makes frequent, clear references to the organization's vision and strategy and the efforts required to drive them forward. Effectively integrates long-term opportunities and challenges with day-to-day activities.Ensures AccountabilityHolds self and others accountable to meet commitments. Emphasizes accountability, measures organizational performance against goals, addresses poor team performance, and does not accept blaming others or excuses.Builds NetworksEffectively builds formal and informal relationship networks inside and outside the organization. Connects people with one another in ways that help advance the organization's goals. Collaborates with stakeholders. Has a presence in the wider industry and across various boundaries; is active in the conversations that shape the landscape.Builds Effective TeamsBuilds strong identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals. Provides rich and targeted insight on establishing strong teams with the right mix of abilities and perspectives. Conveys team members' roles and goals in a compelling way that builds excitement and instills trust. Drives EngagementCreates a climate where people are motivated to do their best to help the organization achieve its objectives. Generates commitment by appealing to people's values and goals. Creates a climate that makes work gratifying and enjoyable for employees. Regularly celebrates progress and successes to motivate the team.Drives Vision and PurposePaints a compelling picture of the vision and strategy that motivates others to action. Is a strong champion for the organization's vision; energizes people to commit to this long-term direction. Regularly and enthusiastically describes how people's efforts make a difference.COUNTY CORE VALUESAll Broward County employees strive to demonstrate the County's four core behavioral competencies©.Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.Customer focus: Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.Instills trust: Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.Values differences: Recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization.TOP PRIORITIESAssess and strengthen the organization, leadership structure, strategic plan, budget, and overall performance metrics/KPIs.Build strong relationships and alignment with staff, hotels, municipalities, chambers, elected officials, tourism partners, and community stakeholders.Maximize the opportunity surrounding the County’s expanded convention center and OMNI-Fort Lauderdale headquarters hotel through enhanced group sales, need-time strategies, and destination marketing efforts.Establish a clear vision and collaborative strategy for the future of Visit Lauderdale, including brand positioning, industry trends, community engagement, and long-term destination growth.If interested in learning more about this great opportunity, please contact our SearchWide Global Executive listed below or use the link to apply.Contact: Kellie Henderson, Global Head of Destinations, info@searchwideglobal.com